Viana do Castelo is one of the northernmost towns in Portugal, situated at the heart of the Minho region. Full of traditions, such as the folk dance and the regional costumes, and also known for its tasty food, Viana do Castelo is just about one hour away by train from Oporto

Tribute to Vianese woman by Manuel Gonçalves Rocha

As soon as you leave the train station, it’s easy to realize that locals are cheerful people: the statue of two Minho folk dancers is very representative of that quality

Monumento ao Folclore Vianense by Jaime Azinheira, 2000

Minho has the most colourful (and beautiful) costume of Portugal, and Viana do Castelo is proud of its tradition.

Monumento ao Folclore Vianense by Jaime Azinheira, 2000

This is the most famous costume of Portugal, and the most colorful. You will often see it representing Portugal as a whole. It is native to a number of villages around the city of Viana do Castelo.

This area has several costumes which differ according to purpose and to social class. The traditional clothing of is called 'Traje de Lavradeira' by the local people.

In the rest of Portugal it is often called the costume of Viana do Castelo, and outside Portugal it is usually referred to as the Minho costume.

There are minor differences between the various villages, and also the costume comes in two color variations: vermelho (red) and azul or verde (blue or green). The second is also known as traje de do' which can be loosely translated as the sad costume.

Costume Museum (20th century)Located in the historic center of the city, the building of the former Portugal Bank houses, since 2004, the Costume Museum, wich presents the ethnographic richness of the traditional costumes from Viana do Castelo. The exposed assets also comprises the tools used in the handmade clothing of garments. Besides de permanent exhibition “The wool and the linen in the Alto Minho costume”, the Costume Museum conducts several temporary exhibitions, using the costumes and ethnography from Viana do Castelo as themes.

The Museum of Costume of Viana was created in 1997, occupying a building of architecture typical "New State", built in 1958 to house the Bank of Portugal.

The most interesting detail is that tradition invites women to use all their "richness", and their necks may hold several kilograms of gold. Of course, nowadays, each woman in traditional parade, is always protected by a relative, as personal bodyguard.

Steeped in tradition and heritage, the gold jewellery accumulates over time and is passed on from generation to generation

Filigrana or filigree, is an antiquated art found in many cultures. The Portuguese name, filigrana, literally means “thread and grain”, and refers to the fine gold and silver floss used to create the delicate designs.  Dating back to Roman times Portuguese filigrana artisans have meticulously soldered and woven the threads to create one-of-a-kind pieces that are among the most intricate in the world. Throughout Portugal and especially in the Northern Minho region, where filigrana originates, traditional folklore dancers still proudly display layer upon layer of filigrana that have been passed down through generations

The traditional Coração de Viana (Viana Heart)

Art of Joana Vasconcelos

The Portuguese filigree work of the 17th and 18th centuries is of extraordinary complexity, and filigree jewelry of delicate and artistic design is still made in considerable quantities throughout the country.

Traje de Vianesa ('Traje de Lavradeira‘)

Text: InternetPictures: Internet Sanda Foişoreanu Gabriela CristescuCopyrights of the photos belong to each photographer

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Amália Rodrigues - Folclore à Guitarra e à Viola